Montegioco Dolii Raptor

Brewed by Birrificio Montegioco
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Montegioco, Italy

Bottle at Max’s during the Belgian Fest 2010. (I think this was a fresh bottle) Pours a dull dark hazy copper with no head. Aroma is a very distinct sharp stale lactic acid and sharp vinegar hints- aceto almost like that food coloring used for eggs during Easter- very oxidized acidic smell- solvent paint thinner, more sulfur and rotten eggs. Flavor is a bit more subdued and not as bad- some big malts, light fruitiness, some off phenolic spice, solvent, grass, sweet caramel and brown sugar, a bit harsh with some bourbon and almost hints of big alcoholic solvent- Grappa like. Weird stuff.

Partendo dal fatto ke questa birra parte come demon hunter ( e ho detto tutto)..... il passaggio in botte è eccezzionale e la rende una strong sour ale ke sviluppa addiritura note di sidro!!! mitika!

Bottle at the Relentless Thirst Tasting on 08/29/2009. Somewhat cloudy dark amber body with a medium frothy off-white head. Somewhat tart caramel and fruit aroma, a bit of oak. Slightly tart flavor with oak, caramel and fruit. Medium body with moderate carbonation.

(Bottled, 0.75l) Opaque amber with a small, firm head. Slightly tart aroma with fresh and dried fruit, some oaky vanilla, touch of red wine. Flavor is lightly tart, fresh and dried-fruity, red-wineous, mildly acidic, almost too smooth - but with a tingly-warming-alcoholic note. Medium body, soft and foamy carbonation. A very nice and balanced brew, but didn’t quite blow me away after the already high expectations.

12.7oz bottle. Pours cloudy reddish amber, topped with a small off white head that gets a lot bigger with swirling. Enticing aroma; lots of barrel notes with wood, grape, wild yeast, and lactic notes. Flavor is not as exciting as the aroma. Flavor is on the sweet side at first with caramel and oak. Tartness and wild yeast come through towards the finish. Lactic acid, white grape and oak persist for a lengthy finish. Decent enough.

In short: A sweet and yeasty funky beer with a strong barrel presence a light fruity sourness. A successful wild experiment.
How: Bottle 375ml. Consumed when about 1 year of age
The look: Very golden orange body topped by large beige head
In long: A bit of a gusher. Nose is a medium semi-funky (almost bretty) with fruity vinous notes. Taste is a woody, oaky dryness, funk, cherries, yeast, grapes/wine, caramel, strawberries, brow sugar. Light sourness, medium acidity/tartness. This is like a yeasty barley wine that spent some time in Jolly Pumpkins barrels. No alcohol presence whatsoever. Would have been even had it been dryer, this is a little sweeter than what I’ve come to expect form that type of woody funky beer. This is a strange beer that will not please most people but this is definitely one that should please the JP lovers out there. The problem is that this is an expensive beer, something like $15 for a 375ml, ouch! There’s an old saying that says that money doesn’t make you happy. Maybe, I don’t know, as long as breweries keep putting out kick-ass expensive beer like this I will never know.

375ml bottle from a trade with a Floridian... Pours a golden orange brown with a medium frothy just off- white head... Aroma of oak, sweet vanilla, and some light tart fruit... Flavors of sweet oak flavors combined with a light degree of tartness that ends on a slightly dry bitter/herbal note. Fluffy yet semi-lively carbonation. Mouthfeel was nice and creamy. Overall different but nice nonetheless.

375ml, pours hazed amber with creamy white head. Nose of sour apple, cherry, brett, oak, and vanilla. Flavors of dried fruit-apricot and grapefruit, spicy alcohol notes, sharp oak, earthy, with mild sour finish. Fizzy and full mouth feel.